Mechanism for lateral orienting of paper sheets

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for laterally orienting paper sheets in a printing machine having a pair of supporting bars and a reciprocable slidable plate located therebetween. The apparatus includes an oscillating shaft on which is freely mounted a body having pressure rollers depending therefrom in contact with the paper on the slidable plate and an end stop engaging the edge of the paper. The shaft also mounts a fixed member adapted to engage one of the supporting bars. As the shafts oscillate the body and member move in opposite relative directions. Means are provided interconnecting the member with the roller and end stop means whereby the roller and end stops are lifted out of contact with the paper during the period of oscillation.

United States Patent Jurny et al.

[451 Sept. 26, 1972 [54] MECHANISM FOR LATERAL ORIENT-ING OF PAPER SHEETS [72] Inventors: Josef Jurny, Sebranice; Jaroslav Janecek, Brno, both of Czechoslovakia [73] Assignee: Adamovske strojirny, narodni pod- [30] Foreign Application Priority Data April 19, 1968 Czechoslovakia ..2870 68 52 us. Cl. ...271/s9 [51] Int. Cl. ..;...B65h 7/10 [58] Field of Search ..271/59 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,553,148 5/1951 Rowlands ..271/59 1515 iii. 22 I l 25 5/1951 Gegenheimer ..271/59 2,553,758 2,555,913 6/1951 Backhouse ..27l/59 2,836,417 5/1958 Gericke ..27l/59 Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Attorney-Richard Low [57] ABSTRACT A mechanism for laterally orienting paper sheets in a printing machine having a pair of supporting bars and a reciprocabie slidable plate located therebetween.

The apparatus includes an oscillating shaft on which is freely mounted a body having pressure rollers depending therefrom in contact with the paper on the slidable plate and an end stop engaging the edge of the paper. The shaft also mounts a fixed member adapted to engage one of the supporting bars. As theshafts oscillate the body and member move in opposite relative directions. Means are provided interconnecting the member with the roller and end stop means whereby the roller and end stops are lifted out of contact with the paper during the period of oscillation.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures P'ATEmmsaPzs 1912 nece M w/ W INVENTORS MECHANISM FOR LATERAL ORIEN'I'ING F PAPER SHEETS This invention relates to a mechanism for lateral orientation of paper sheets, particularly for printing machines.

When printing multicolor pictures, where the printed sheets have to pass repeatealy through the printing machine, the paper sheets have to be exactly oriented in the machine in order to obtain perfect registration of different colors. Frontal orientation is obtained by abutting the front edge of the paper against the front face of one or more end stops, while the lateral orientation is obtained by an arrangement, which adjusts the position of the sheet by the movement of a lateral shifting means against the edge of the paper sheet. 7

In heavier printing machines the lateral orienting of paper sheets is achieved by devices where an upper pressure roller presses the paper sheet against a driven lower roller, segment or slidable bar.

A drawback of these known arrangements is the complicated drive means required for the lower rollers and for the oscillating movement of the upper roller and the difficulties with adjustment in the course of operation of the machine. Another drawback is the substantial insensitiveness and inaccuracy of the devices when orienting sheets of the lowest weight at speeds above 8,000 revolutions per hour due to the large masses of the pressure mechanisms. A further drawback of these known arrangements is that the stop structure for orienting the paper sheets is constantly resting on the conveying table. Therefore damaged sheets result when a paper sheet cut at an angle or when the front stop structure is adjusted at a faulty angle.

It is an object of this invention to provide an arrangement, which would allow for the orientation of the finest paper sheets at high operating speeds.

It is another object of this invention to reduce the mass of elements which alternately coact with the oriented paper sheet.

It is a further object of this invention to enable an easy adjustment of functional parts in the course of operation.

It is an additional object of this invention to prevent any deformation of the oriented paper in the course of orientation.

Further it is an object of the invention to achieve the maximum obtainable accuracy in orienting to enable correct multicolor printing.

In accordance with this invention the mechanism includes an oscillating shaft fixedly supporting a fork shaped member and freely supporting an adjustable body. Spring loaded pressure rollers mounted on said adjustable body coact with a reciprocating table or plate in transferring the orientated paper sheet towards an end stop during the movement of the oscillating shaft in one direction, while during the of movement of the oscillating shaft in the opposite direction the pressure rollers are first lifted and then in turn, the end stop is also lifted. Means for adjustment of difierent elemerits are provided. Adjustable guiding plates are provided for preventing any arching of the oriented paper.

One possible embodiment of the object of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings where FIG. 1 is a sectional side view with the section along a plane A-A as shown in FIG. 2

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the lateral stop structure FIG. 3 is a view in direction of the arrow P from FIG. 1

FIG.'4 is a view in direction of the arrow L from FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 is a sectional side view with the section along the plane B-B as shown in FIG. 2.

The described arrangement comprises an oscillating shaft 1, with a fork or yoke member 2 fixed on said shaft and with a body 3'supported freely on said shaft 1 between both arms of the fork 2 (FIG. 1). Pistons 4 with lateral carrier pins 5 and with pressure rollers 6 rotating around bearings 7 supported by bolts 8 are located within and depending from the adjustable body 3. The bolts 8 are fixed to one end of the pistons 4. Housed within the pistons 4 are springs 9, 10 which are adjustably compressed by regulating screws 11. Friction plates 12 formed from artificial or synthetic material, are pressed against the outer thread of the regulating screws 11 (FIG. 5) by fiat springs 13 which are located in a recess of the adjustable body 3 (FIG. 5). A guiding bolt 14 is fixed in the adjustable body 3, and is provided with a carrier pin 15 and with an end stop 16 on its-lower extremity. The end stop 16 is provided with a guiding sheet or strip 17 fixed by a screw 18. A regulating nut 21 with a rubber friction ring 22 is screwed on a thread on the upper part of the guiding bolt 14. A holding fork 20 is also fixed by means of the screw 19 on said guiding bolt 14. The holding bracket fork 20 is guided by the eccentric portion of a regulating screw 42 which has its cylindrical portion located in the adjustable body 3. The position of the regulating screw 42 is secured by a flat spring 24 which presses balls 25 into the grooved part of the regulating screw 42. The flat spring 24 is fixed to the adjustable body 3 by means of a screw 26 and a pin 27. The guiding bolt 14 is secured to the body 3 by a bracket 28 fastened by screws 29. Selective adjustment of the bracket 28, during use, will maintain the bolt 14 in tight firm condition, even after considerable wear, and provide a constant clearance for movement. A spring 30 is housed with one of its extremities in an opening of the adjustable body 3 and with its other extremity in an opening of the end stop 16. Springs 31 are located in openings of the adjustable body 3 and in openings of the fork 2. A tube 33 is rotatably supported on a bolt 32 which is fixed in the arms of the fork 2.

The adjustable body 3 is, in its lower part, provided with a roller 34, rotatably supported on a bolt 35. A sliding plate 37 is fixed by means of screw 36 to the adjustable body 3. The fork 2 is provided with a set screw 38. A sliding bar 39 is located between a front supporting bar 40 and a rear supporting bar 41. The front supporting bar 40 and the rear supporting bar 41 are stable. (FIG. 1).

The structure according to this invention operates as follows:

The oscillating shaft 1 is mounted in the side walls of the machine and is rotatable by a suitable drive means (not shown). The sliding bar 39 also receives a reciprocating sliding movement from the same or another drive means not shown in the drawings. The fork 2 is provided with a set screw 38 the tightening of which secures the lateral stop structure in the basic adjusted position preferably where the end stop 16 is located about 10 mm distant from the edge of the oriented paper sheet. The fork 2, due to the firm connection with the shaft 1, performs within every cycle an oscillating movement, while the adjustable body 3 rests due to the action of the springs 31 by way of the roller 34 on the rear' supporting bar 41. The roller 34 rotatably supported by the bolt 35 is easily displaced on the rear supporting bar 41 in case a new adjustment of the lateral stop structure is required. The oriented paper sheet is pressed against the slidable bar 39 by the pressure roller 6. The pressure of the pressure roller 6 is generated by the springs 9 and 10 which can be adjusted according to the thickness of the oriented paper sheet by regulating screws '11. A spontaneous turning of the regulating screws 11 is prevented by the friction effect of the friction plates 12. The oriented paper sheet is during orienting pressed by the pressure'roller 6 against the slidable bar 39 until its edge ,strikes the end stop 16, whereafter sliding bar 39 slips or slides. An arching of the papersheet after striking the end stop 16 and thus also its recoiling after release of the pressure roller 6 is prevented by the guiding plate 17, the height of which is adjusted to obtain the required gap according to the thickness of the paper sheet. The guiding bolt 14 is pressed downwards by means of the regulating nut 21 and the spring 31. By turning the regulating nut 21, the, height of the guiding sheet 17 is adjusted- The rubber ring 22 prevents any spontaneous turning of the regulating nut 21. g

If the front end structure is turned due to adjustment of the color register, skewing of the oriented paper takes place. Adjustment of the end stop 16 to conform to the skewed edge of the paper sheet is accomplished by turning the regulating screw 42, the eccentric part of which is encompassed by the holding fork 20. The deflection of the holding fork 20 causedby the turning of the regulating screw 42 causes also a turning of the guiding bolt 14 and thus also of the end stop 16. The position of the end stop is thus adjusted to be parallel with the edge of the oriented paper sheet.

After the contacting of the paper sheet has been accomplished, the oscillating shaft 1 begins to turn, turning the fork 2 with it in an upwards'direction. The tube 33 is slipped over the bolt 32 begins an upward move ment during the course of which it first strikes the carrier pins 5 which are fixed on the piston 4, thereby causing the pressure rollers 6 to be lifted, completing lateral orienting; and secondly during the course of its further movement the tube 33 strikes the carrier pin 15 fixed on the guiding bolt 14 causing the end stop 16 with the guiding plate 17 to be also lifted. This sequential lifting first of the pressure roller 6, and only after release of the paper sheet the lifting of the end stop 16 permits the paper sheet to remain at rest after orientation. In this exact orientation the sheet may be taken up by the grippers of the primary gripping devices. The raising of the end stop 16 enables passage of the skewed edge of the paper sheet, so that no deformation takes place in the course of passage through the printing machine. During reverse movement the fork 2 is first turned downwards and the collar of the regulating nut 21 bears againstthe adjustable body 3. Only after that ,does the pressure roller 6 come in contact with the paper sheet and the orienting is started. In the course of orienting, a clearance is maintained between the carrier bolt 15 and the end stop, insuring a correct contact of the pressure roller 6 with the paper sheet and the adjustment of the pressure. The sliding sheet 37 corrects the position of the moving paper sheet while the guiding sheet 17 is lifted. When orienting the paper sheet to the opposite side after releaseof the set screw 38 the lateral stop structure is shifted to the'opposite side and the orienting is performed by the second pressure roller 6.

We claim:

1. A mechanism for the lateral orientation of paper sheets in printing machines and the like, comprising a pair of spaced substantially horizontal supporting b 1 a slidable plate reciprocally mounted between said bars and adapted to receive and move a'paper sheet, transferred thereto,

a rotatable shaft adapted to lated,

a body freely supported on said shaft above said slidable plate,

roller means resiliently depending from said body toward said plateand being normally biased vertically toward said slidable plate to engage a paper sheet located thereon,

end stop means resiliently depending from said body and being normally biased toward said plate to engage the lateral edge of the paper sheet located on said slidable plate,

a forked member adjustably mounted on said shaft for conjoint oscillation therewith and extending about said body, said forked member being movable relative to said body on oscillation of said shaft, and

means for operatively interconnecting said forked member and each of said roller and stop means, said inter-connecting means being effective on oscillation of said shaft to sequentially raise first said roller means and then said end stop means from their normally biased positions.

2. The mechanism according to claim 1 including piston rod, and spring means for biasing said piston rod outwardly of said body, said rollers being mounted at the end of said piston rod.

3. The mechanism according to claim 1 including means for adjusting the position of said body on said shaft.

4. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said end stop is mounted at the end of a rod vertically mounted in said body, an adjustment nut threaded to the upper end of said rod adapted to regulate the height thereof, a bracket secuted to said rod and eccentric screw means for positioning said bracket and regulate the position of said rod with respect to the vertical axis thereof to thereby selectively vary the angle of the end stop means.

5. The mechanism according to claim 4 including friction means mounted for engagement with said eccentric screw means for maintaining said screw means secure during operation.

6. The mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said forked body is provided with an elongated tube rotatably mounted about its axis within the forked body, and said roller means and end stop means are mounted on the end of depending carriers having pins extending normally therefrom into engagement with said tube on movement of said forked body.

be periodically oscil- 

1. A mechanism for the lateral orientation of paper sheets in printing machines and the like, comprising a pair oF spaced substantially horizontal supporting bars, a slidable plate reciprocally mounted between said bars and adapted to receive and move a paper sheet, transferred thereto, a rotatable shaft adapted to be periodically oscillated, a body freely supported on said shaft above said slidable plate, roller means resiliently depending from said body toward said plate and being normally biased vertically toward said slidable plate to engage a paper sheet located thereon, end stop means resiliently depending from said body and being normally biased toward said plate to engage the lateral edge of the paper sheet located on said slidable plate, a forked member adjustably mounted on said shaft for conjoint oscillation therewith and extending about said body, said forked member being movable relative to said body on oscillation of said shaft, and means for operatively interconnecting said forked member and each of said roller and stop means, said inter-connecting means being effective on oscillation of said shaft to sequentially raise first said roller means and then said end stop means from their normally biased positions.
 2. The mechanism according to claim 1 including a piston rod, and spring means for biasing said piston rod outwardly of said body, said rollers being mounted at the end of said piston rod.
 3. The mechanism according to claim 1 including means for adjusting the position of said body on said shaft.
 4. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said end stop is mounted at the end of a rod vertically mounted in said body, an adjustment nut threaded to the upper end of said rod adapted to regulate the height thereof, a bracket secuted to said rod and eccentric screw means for positioning said bracket and regulate the position of said rod with respect to the vertical axis thereof to thereby selectively vary the angle of the end stop means.
 5. The mechanism according to claim 4 including friction means mounted for engagement with said eccentric screw means for maintaining said screw means secure during operation.
 6. The mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said forked body is provided with an elongated tube rotatably mounted about its axis within the forked body, and said roller means and end stop means are mounted on the end of depending carriers having pins extending normally therefrom into engagement with said tube on movement of said forked body. 